Honda Center to Host 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball West Regional

Apr. 18, 2017

The Big West Conference and Honda Center have been awarded the opportunity to host the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball West Regional in Anaheim, as announced by the NCAA today.

This will be the eighth time since 1998 that Honda Center and the Big West Conference have teamed up to host an NCAA men’s basketball event. Previous regionals occurred in 1998, 2001, 2003, 2011, 2014 and 2016. The 2008 first and second rounds also took place at Honda Center.

The eight NCAA events over a 22-year span, including four in a nine-year period (2011-19) has made Anaheim one of the most frequent stops on the NCAA Tournament trail. Honda Center also hosted the 1999 NCAA Men’s Hockey Frozen Four.

“We are thrilled to partner with the Big West Conference and host the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball West Regional,” said Tim Ryan, Honda Center President/Chief Executive Officer. “This marks the 9th NCAA event at Honda Center since opening in 1993. As annual hosts to the Wooden Legacy and the Big West Basketball Tournament, we couldn’t be happier about bringing another world-class event to Anaheim!”

“We’re honored to bring one of the premier NCAA events back to Anaheim and continuing our long-standing partnership with Honda Center,” said Big West Conference Commissioner Dennis Farrell. “We look forward to putting on an exceptional show for the fans in southern California.”

Of note to the Division I Men’s Basketball Championship:

• Dayton will continue to host the NCAA First Four through at least 2022, as it has served as the site for the start of the Division I men’s basketball tournament since 2001. University of Dayton Arena has hosted 117 men’s basketball tournament games, the most of any facility.

• The first- and second-round men’s basketball games in Greensboro in 2020 will mark the first time since 2012 that tournament games will have been played in that venue. Greensboro Coliseum has hosted 63 NCAA men’s tournament games, which is fifth-most in tournament history.

• 2022 will mark a return of NCAA basketball to three cities that have not hosted the men’s tournament in decades. The men’s West Regional will be played in San Francisco, which has not been a tournament site since 1960, while Fort Worth, Texas, which hasn’t been a tournament site since 1970, will host 2022 first- and second-round games. Cincinnati will also host first- and second-round action, marking the first time in 30 years the tournament will have been staged there.

• 2019 will also mark a return of men’s tournament action to sites that have not recently hosted the event. Columbia, South Carolina last hosted games in 1970, while Hartford, Connecticut, has not served as host since 1998.